ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND INDICATORS

The main objective of a state’s public procurement system is to deliver efficiency and ‘value for money’ in the use of public funds.Evaluation is about answering whether the procurement system and operations ultimately deliver in accordance to the main objectives set (primary and secondary policy objectives), as well as to international standards.

What tools and indicators can be used in order to assess public procurement systems?

The OECD and its partners have developed several assessments tools and indicators on public procurement. These tools complement each-other and cover all the Principles of the OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement calling upon countries to develop their institutional framework and measure systems’ efficiency and effectiveness.

They can help countries:

Measuring the performance of their procurement operations and the impact of procurement on broader policy objectives

Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of their public procurement systems, on which public procurement reforms can be built

Assessing progress over time, within one same country or across countries

Accountability, Integrity and Transparency of the Public Procurement System

Each pillar includes indicators, sub-indicators (qualitative and quantitative) and assessment criteria. MAPS can be used by countries particularly to implement Principles aiming at developing their institutional framework.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been developed to support the implementation of several Principles towards the performance of public procurement systems:

Efficiency of the public procurement cycle

Openness and transparency of the public procurement

Professionalism of the public procurement workforce

Contract performance management.

The methodology for KPIs is currently under revision in line with the OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement (2015).

OECD Government at a Glance report

The OECD Government at a Glance report, published every two years, is a dashboard of key indicators to help analyzing international comparisons of public sector performance. The 2015 edition of the publication includes several indicators on public procurement related to:

the size of public procurement (e.g. the general government procurement as percentage of GDP and as share of total government expenditures)

Strategic public procurement (specifically related to procurement strategies/policies to support green public procurement, SMEs and innovative goods and services)